Water may not be safe to drink, cook or clean with after an emergency such as a flood. During and after flooding, water can become contaminated with microorganisms—such as bacteria, sewage, heating oil, agricultural or industrial waste, chemicals, and other substances that can cause serious illness. People with private drinking water wells in flooded areas should assume their water is contaminated.
Call the Drinking Water Program at 802-863-7220 or 800-439-8550 (toll free in Vermont) for guidance. If you have questions about drinking water from a city of town water system, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Flooding Near Private Drinking Water Source
If your private drinking water source (e.g. well or spring) flooded, do not use that water for:
- Baby formula until a water test confirms it is safe
- Any purpose if water has the smell of petroleum or chemicals
Take all precautions if:
- The well was covered with floodwaters or located near flooding
- There has been a change in water quality (smell or taste)
Until a water test confirms that the water is safe, get water from a known safe source or boil your water for 1 minute to use for:
- Drinking
- Cooking
- Making juice or ice
- Washing fruit and vegetables
- Brushing teeth
If your private drinking water well has been affected by flooding, you may need to disinfect your water supply and get your water tested.
Emergency Information
- Dial 911 for Fire, Police, or Ambulance
- Dial 2-1-1 for health and human services information
- Visit 511vt.gov for Vermont road conditions
- National Weather Service
- Vermont Emergency Management and Homeland Security
- For food safety questions, call the Food & Lodging Program at 802-863-7221 or 800-439-8550 (toll-free in Vermont)